Why do anxious feelings create the need to go to toilet frequently?
Anonymous
on
Jul 21, 2015
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Being nervous or anxious can make you need to go to the bathroom frequently because the nervousness can make your stomach turn or hurt. When I get nervous or am excited or scared about being in public places, I tend to have to look for the nearest restroom.
Problems managing stress?
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EriaDavaensis
on
Oct 27, 2015
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Good question; there is actually a biological reason for this!
Many animals (mammals particularly) including humans have something called the "fight, flight or freeze" response, an autonomic reaction to fear.
Thousands of years ago, this response would have been useful to us because we lived in a way that put us under certain dangers in which the ideal response would have been to either fight or flee what was terrifying us: for example in the case of running away from a large, angry bear moving towards us.
When we perceive a danger, we get anxious/scared. The danger prompts our adrenal glands to release a hormone called adrenaline, which travels all around our body and can cause all kinds of different responses evolved because initially, they would have helped us to survive certain threats.
One of these responses was feeling the need to urinate/defecate, or even involuntarily doing so in the most extreme situations. At one time, this was a helpful response to us as:
a) It would make us lighter and able to run away faster, and
b) It would quickly deter certain predators and possibly slow them down.
Obviously, in today's world, the response is no longer so useful at all and can actually cause considerable problems and even make someone more anxious. However, the evolutionary response remains to a considerable extent and we have to seek out different ways to cope with it.
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SagaciousWizard
on
May 29, 2015
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If you feel anxious and have the need to use the restroom often when you become anxious, you may be experiencing your stomach muscles tightening which press down on your bladder/bowels and cause you to feel that urge to use the restroom. This is a normal reaction for most people, even though some may not feel the urge to use the restroom, being anxious can cause tightening of muscles in the body.
Anonymous
on
Dec 28, 2015
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I swear that this happens to me a lot. This is because during anxiety your heart beats fast, your breathing gets faster and this way you will go to the toilet frequently
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Sassy001
on
Apr 30, 2016
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Anxiety can cause stomach upset,digestive problems,digestive illnesses,collitis,irritable bowel syndrome,ulcers,frequent urination all of which can cause the need to go to the toilet frequently.
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ALStella
on
May 12, 2016
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It's the first thing that pop into our mind when we need to be alone. Anxious = need to be alone = toilet.
Anonymous
on
Jul 21, 2015
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Eh, I'm no doctor, but here goes a biological explanation. If you have severe, and we're talking straight-up disruptive anxiety, odds are you are spending a lot of time with a heightened heart rate and BP measure. Combine this with some moments of adrenaline on a particularly rough day? When you're body is stressed like that, it has to work harder, quicker to keep the BP and HR up to snuff. Those fast processes make fast waste. There's just the cold, hard, facts.
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strawberryLake18
on
Mar 31, 2016
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It's not about the toilet itself..it's more about being alone in a place where no one will bother you .. In this case this special place is the toilet cause it is the most isolated place in a house right ??
Anonymous
on
May 8, 2016
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It is usually because I always feel like something is wrong. so i go to make sure nothing is wrong .
Anonymous
on
Apr 23, 2016
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Because when we feel anxious or nervous, Our bladder muscles tighten up which make us have to use the restroom frequently, Depending on how nervous or anxious you become on a daily basis.
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Anthony513
on
Mar 18, 2016
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With anxiety, it can cause mixed emotions and feeling within your body, and can cause the body to react randomly sometimes. Your mind is being flustered, and your body can be confused, which can cause you to need to use the restroom a bit too frequent. The person may not know to how to control it, so they have the need to go.
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HattieMae
on
May 22, 2016
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The physical feelings of anxiety are caused by the "fight , flight, or freeze" part of the brain firing off prematurely. During this time your body prepares itself, as if it had to run away from a threat (like a safer tooth tiger) thanks to our evolutionary history. Your heart beats faster to get more blood to your vessels, your breathe faster and your digestion slows down to direct that extra energy towards your muscles. When your digestion slows down, and gets altered frequently due to anxiety attacks IBS (or irritable bowel syndrome) can develop where you need to use the bathroom frequently. For me, I get lots of bloating and stomach pains if my anxiety attacks occur frequently enough. But I recommend seeing a doctor about it, if it is causing you too many problems.
Anonymous
on
Apr 22, 2015
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It's all to do with your fight-or-flight response. It sends lots of blood to the parts of your body you might need/makes the muscles contract (eg brain, arms, legs) and withdraws blood from the less important areas and makes them relax (bladder, stomach, colon). This is why being nervous makes people feel they need to/need to wee, poo and puke.
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Aliveinsideink
on
Apr 22, 2016
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Usually with anxiety your muscles tense and contract, which can cause that need to frequent the restroom. It's normal, just try and breath through the anxiety. Focus on your surroundings and your present self and that you are ok in the moment.
Anonymous
on
Apr 28, 2016
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A lot of people use it kinda like a crutch. (I know it sounds odd but IT'S NOT.) You feel safe in the bathroom. There is no one that can get you. You've locked the door and you can finally be yourself.
Anonymous
on
Sep 18, 2016
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It is psychology: I don't know the scientific reason but I wanted to assure you that it happens to me too. Whenever I can't sleep at night and whenever I get nervous about not being able to sleep, I always go to toilet in 10 minute periods. It's frustrating - but remember, you are not alone! :)
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Dannae
on
May 17, 2018
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It activates our Autonomous Nervous System. Going to toilet is a physiologic response to stress stimuli.
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Sollas
on
Apr 15, 2016
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It may be that your body has spead up do to the flight or fright response. Following this needing to use the bathroom is a way of getting out of a suitation
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jadaluv15
on
Mar 29, 2018
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Anxiety can cause a feeling of needing to go to the bathroom even though it is not your regular time or you have already gone during the day. This is because when the fight or flight system is activated, pressure builds up inside of the body which can make stool feel like it needs to come out.
Anonymous
on
Jun 18, 2015
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It's part of the body's whole reaction to anxiety. Anxiety causes several stimulating hormones to be released in the body, many of which are diuretics meaning they make it so that you need to use the bathroom.
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